EU to Buy 300m Doses of BioNTech-Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine

Photo source: biontech.de

The European Commission on Wednesday announced that it will authorise a contract for up to 300 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer.

The companies on Monday said their vaccine was more than 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 among those without evidence of prior infection.

“This is the most promising vaccine so far,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.

“In the past months, the European Commission has been working tirelessly to secure doses of potential vaccines.”

According to President von der Leyen, once the vaccine becomes available, the Commission’s plan is to deploy it quickly, everywhere in Europe.

“We have already started working with Member States to prepare national vaccination campaigns,” she said.

This will be the Commission’s fourth contract with a pharmaceutical company to buy vaccines.

President von der Leyen said that “more will come” because a broad portfolio of vaccines based on different technologies is needed.

“A safe and effective vaccine is our best chance to beat coronavirus and return to our normal lives… We are almost there. In the meantime, let us be prudent, and stay safe,” President von der Leyen said.